In Memory

I like to use the phrase “I’m having a senior moment” when I just can’t remember something…whether it be someone’s name, an address, a phone number, or where I left my car in the airport parking lot. Using that phrase seems to deflect the sheer embarrassment I have when, on occasion, I just can’t seem to remember things. My wife says it isn’t a senior moment at all, but rather the lack of paying attention or listening….especially to her. After all, she says, “how can you remember the score, how many rushing yards and how many passing yards Auburn had in a meaningless game back in 1984?” Well, to begin with, there are no meaningless games that Auburn plays.

But back to my memory issues. Maybe it’s because the world we live in today is so cluttered with trivial minutia bombarding us every time we turn on the television, click on internet explorer, or circle our finger over the i-pod trying to decide which of the 2000 songs we are going crank up.

Back many moons ago, I took a class from a visiting professor from Germany. The class was entitled “The Theology and Philosophy of Hope.” Suffice it to say, it was a VERY deep class with lots of reading and writing. But there was one statement that he made that has stuck with me over the years. He said, “Memory and Hope are basically the same thing. One is looking backwards, and the other is looking forward.” Another way of saying it is, “if you don’t know where you’ve been, how can you ever know where you are going?” Pretty heavy stuff for football related blog, don’t you think?

Anyway, today I want us to use our memory. To remember.

I have seen nothing written on this in any blog or news source. I am afraid we have forgotten. I am sure that his family has not. Nor his teammates. And the rest of us should not either. After all, he was only 20 years old when he left us.

You see, only a few days ago was the 25th anniversary of the death of Auburn’s starting tailback, Greg Pratt. He collapsed and died of an apparent heart attack after running wind sprints on the practice field. It was picture day for Auburn, and Pat Dye announced it to the journalists and photographers when they showed up to take the team’s picture. Pat Dye’s words were, “It is a tragedy for Auburn University, our football team, and the people who loved him and were close to him. We will truly miss him, and we will always remember him.”

So Coach Dye, keeping true to your word…..today, we remember Greg Pratt.

War Eagle!

WJLaneSr